1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems for reporting the compliance of heavy trucks with vehicle regulations.
2. Prior Art
Commercial cargo truck operators are generally paid according to the weight of the cargo carried in their trucks. Therefore, they tend to carry as much in the trucks as possible to maximize profits. However, trucks are required by government regulations to be operated within specific weight or load limits for safety. An overloaded truck is dangerous to itself and other vehicles on the road because its safe operation and general controllability are greatly reduced. Despite the regulations, the pressure of profits cause many truck operators to overload their trucks at the expense of safety. Over 5,300 deaths and 100""s of thousands of injuries each year are attributed to overloaded trucks.
The only prior art method for monitoring loading compliance of trucks is to require them to stop at weigh stations along major highways to check their weight. The problem is that there are over 8 million commercial trucks being operated by over 500,000 trucking companies in the United States, but there are less than 26,000 weigh stations in limited operation. Further, the operation of the weigh stations is limited to spurious hours and days. Many overloaded trucks drive past the stations during off hours, or circumvent them by taking alternate routes. The current loading enforcement method is thus inadequate for improving trucking safety.
Accordingly, the objectives of the present vehicle regulation compliance enforcing system are:
to provide an on-board monitoring system for mounting on each truck and continuously monitoring various operating parameters of the vehicle;
to provide an interrogation system for enforcement agencies to remotely monitor the operating parameters of each vehicle;
to enable enforcement agencies to download vehicle and driver information from each vehicle;
to automatically alert the vehicle driver and enforcement agencies of violations when a vehicle is operated outside safety limits;
to easily identify vehicles which are not being operated safely, even when the vehicle is in transit, and without diverting them to weigh stations;
to increase trucking safety by deterring vehicle owners and operators from operating their vehicles outside safety limits; and
to increase trucking safety without adding to the existing infrastructure and without interrupting the flow of traffic.
Further objectives of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The present automated vehicle regulation compliance enforcing system is comprised of an on-board monitoring system for being installed on a heavy truck, and an interrogation system for being installed in enforcement vehicles and inspection stations. The monitoring system is comprised of a processor connected to speed and weigh sensors installed in the truck and trailers. The processor is arranged to monitor various operating parameters of the truck, such as loading, load distribution, speed, driving time, and mileage. The processor is also connected to an interface which enables the operator to input driver and vehicle information, and a transceiver for communicating with the interrogation systems. The interrogation systems are each comprised of a processor connected to a transceiver, and arranged to interrogate the monitoring system to download data. The interrogation system may be a standalone system with a built-in interface attached to the processor, or it may be a PC-based system with a communication port for connecting to a personal computer. In either embodiment, the processor in the interrogation system is arranged to automatically alert enforcement personnel when any of the operating parameters of a monitored vehicle is outside a preset limit.